Ross Bails takes homeFASTRAK Championship Victory

Carnesville, GA – Ross Bailes of Clover, SC led flag to flag in the 2017 FASTRAK World Championship to take home the $20,000 top prize at Virginia Motor Speedway on Saturday night. Bailes jetted to lead on lap 1 and never looked backed, ultimately beating Chris Ferguson of Mt. Holly NC to the stripe by 0.985 seconds. The Barry Wright ICON driven by Bailes was fast all night as he also set quick time for the event with a 18.449 second lap in qualifying.

“If you don’t have a Barry Wright ICON race car you need to get you one, this car was flawless all weekend; I can’t thank Barry Wright and the crew enough for putting such a great cat under me,” said Bailes in Victory Lane.

Ross Bailes and Corey Almond led the 24 car field to the green with Bailes jumping to the lead out of turn 2 and Jake Hawkins following to second. The races first caution would fly on lap 3 with Hawkins blowing a motor while running second. On the restart Bailes pulled away with Ryan Montgomery working his way to second. By lap 17 Bailes was working traffic and on the following lap split two lapped cars to make it three-wide in turn 1 as he had Montgomery closing. On a lap 19 restart Almond spun in front of the field collecting Thomas Robinson and Justin Williams bring out a red flag.

On the restart an eight car pile-up when one car drove over the hood of another car coming to the green caused yet another red flag and thinning the field out. On the restart Bailes pulled away from the field as Chris Ferguson began to pick off several positions over the next three laps moving to third. By the halfway point of the race Bailes had stretched his lead to a little over four seconds. On lap 38 Ferguson worked inside Montgomery on turn 3 to take over the second spot.

On lap 42 Bailes came up on a side-by side battle and very patiently worked his way past them and extending his lead. With the laps winding down the car on the move was that of Tyler Bare who had been caught up in the big wreck on lap 19. By lap 48 Bare had worked his way back to sixth. On lap 52 Walker Arthur worked his way into fourth as caution came out for Daryl Charlier who slowed in turn 2 closing the gap between Bailes and Ferguson setting up an eight lap shootout for the $20,000 top prize.

On the restart Ferguson tried to stay with the leader but Bailes was able to stretch his lead to four car lengths. With two to go Ferguson closed to within two car lengths. But Bailes was able to hold on for the $20,000 win. Rounding out the top five were Ferguson, Ryan Montgomery, Walker Arthur and Tyler Bare.

The FASTRAK World Championship is the richest single-day event in Pro Late Model racing and attracted a Virginia Motor Speedway record 71 cars.

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